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NBC PICKS UP GAMESHOW/COMEDY HYBRID

NBC Orders Comedy Pilots Starring Comedians Vladimir Caamaño & Sebastian Maniscalco, Game Show/Comedy Hybrid.Additionally, NBC has given a pilot order to Crunch Time, a hybrid game show/multi-camera comedy written by Betsy Thomas and produced by David Janollari and reality veteran Phil Gurin (Shark Tank).

Written by Sztykiel and Caamaño, it is a family comedy inspired by Caamaño’s real-life family dynamic living with his Dominican father and older brother in the Bronx, which is often featured in his stand-up. In the show, Vlad (Caamaño), the son of Dominican immigrants, wants to carve his own path in life which proves difficult as his father has no desire to change their extremely co-dependent relationship.

New York-based Caamaño already had been on NBC’s radar as a 2013 finalist in the NBC Standup showcase. In addition to the NBC comedy series Undateable, which airs live, Doozer has upcoming CBS action dramedy Rush Hour.

Sebastian, which marks My Name Is Earl creator Greg Garcia return to NBC, was originally developed during the 2014-15 season. The project, from CBS TV Studios and Garcia’s studio-based Amigos De Garcia Productions, was inspired by Maniscalco’s life. Written by Austen Earl, writer-producer on Garcia’s CBS series The Millers, it chronicles Sebastian’s (Maniscalco) old-school values, instilled by his opinionated Italian father, which are constantly put to the test by his new wife, her family, and the absurdities of the modern world.

Earl and Maniscalco, who are friends, co-executive produce. Garcia, Judi Marmel, Norman Aladjem and Alix Jaffe executive produce. NBC had been high on Maniscalco; this is the second project based on his standup/life that the network had developed.

Crunch Time, from Universal TV and Janollari’s studio-based production company, is a hybrid game show/comedy that intercuts between a real game show and the scripted workplace that centers on an up-and-coming producer trying to wrangle the volatile host. Betsy Thomas wrote it and is executive producing alongside Janollari and Gurin.